BROADWAY RHYTHM

After Judy's appearance in the short subject Bubbles in 1930, she doesn't re-appear via recordings (that are available - on 3/29/1935 she and her sisters had recorded a few Decca test singles that were never released, although two survived. Click here for info), until this appearance on MGM's program "The Shell Chateau Hour with Wallace Beery" on NBC Radio. Judy had just signed her contract with MGM and is only 13 years old!

This recording gives us a glimpse into the raw, unrefined talent that Judy was before that talent would be polished and trained at MGM throughout her years with the studio. We get the chance to see just what all of the excitement of "discovering Judy" was all about. Remember, no one else sang this way back in 1935 (Sophie Tucker & Ethel Merman come close by way of being "belters") - and certainly no 13 year old could come even close to the way Judy could sing with such power, richness, and emotion. Her talent is so obviously "God given."

Judy would later sing "Broadway Rhythm" as part of the finale sequence in Presenting Lily Mars in 1943.

ZING! WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART

Judy's return to the "Shell Chateau Hour." This time, Wallace Beery makes note that Judy has been signed by MGM - making it seem that she had been signed since her first appearance on the show (when in fact she singed with MGM a few months earlier and prior to any appearances on this program).

This performance is especially noteworthy in Judy's life - and we're lucky to have it. It's the earliest known recording of a song she would sing throughout her career (in varying arrangements) as well as being the song that she sang at her audition for MGM.

However, most importantly, while Judy was giving this performance, on this night, her beloved father, Frank Gumm, was listening from his hospital room, having come down with spinal meningitis that day. Judy was aware of this, and her performance has an added intensity. Judy never saw her father alive again. He passed away later that night, but the family had put a radio in his room, and he was able to listen to his beloved "Baby" sing her heart out for her father one last time. In Judy's words: "The most terrible thing that ever happened to me in my life."

AFTER YOU'VE GONE
ON REVIVAL DAY

Again from "The Shell Chateau Hour" with Wallace Beery. This is the earliest known recording of Judy singing "After You've Gone" - a song which would become identified with her throughout her legendary "Concert Years" (1951 - 1969). Judy also performed a touching version in the film For Me And My Gal in 1942. "On Revival Day" is an interesting, little known song.

IT'S LOVE I'M AFTER

This is the original pre-recording of the song. After signing with MGM, Judy appeared in the short "Every Sunday" with another teen singer named Deanna Durbin. The studio let Deanna go but kept Judy. Her first film assignment was on loanout to 20th Century-Fox for their film Pigskin Parade (1936). Judy's first appearance in a feature film.

Judy played hick farm girl Sairy Dodd and although it was a small supporting role, she did get to sing three songs "The Texas Tornado," "The Balboa," and this song "It's Love I'm After." The reviews for the film would single Judy out and the film went on to be a big hit even garnering Stuart Erwin an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Other stars of the film include Jack Haley and Betty Grable. In Betty's autobiography she remembered how, when Judy came on the set to sing her songs (to the playback of the pre-recording) everyone on the set just halted what they were doing and were transfixed. They were all in awe of her talent, and according to Betty they all knew that THIS was a girl who was going places. Boy, were they right!

YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU (Tag, Take 2)

From the MGM pre-recording sessions for Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937). This is a rarely heard alternate tag to Judy's famous "You Made Me Love You", just after the spoken middle section. This version would have ended the song on a much more mellow note!

Take 1 can be heard tagged onto the version included in both "That's Entertainment!" CD boxed sets from 1995 and 2006. The version heard in the film, with the powerhouse tag recorded after these two, can be found on the compilation CD "Judy Garland In Hollywood - Her Greatest Movie Hits" and subsequent compilation CDs.

SMILES

From "Jack Oakie's College" on CBS Radio - Judy was made a regular on Jack Oakie's show on 2/23/37. As a matter of fact, she previously performed "Smiles" on this show just a month prior, on March 9, 1937. She would record the song later for For Me And My Gal (1942) although only a snippet is heard in the film, the entire pre-recording can be heard on the Rhino CD Soundtrack for the film.

GOT A PAIR OF NEW SHOES (Short Version, Take 6)

From the MGM pre-recording sessions for Thoroughbreds Don't Cry (1937). This is the rarely heard and unused "short version" of the song Judy sang to Mickey Rooney and Ronald Sinclair to try and get their attention.

The complete version of the song can be heard on the wonderful Rhino 2-CD set "Judy Garland - Collector's Gems from the M-G-M Films". A must-have for all Garland fans!

COLLEGE SWING
CRYING FOR THE CAROLINES

From "Good News of 1938" on NBC Radio. By this point, Judy was obviously a rising star, and had just completed the film Everybody Sing (1938) with Fanny Brice, Allan Jones, & Billie Burke.

GOD'S COUNTRY
SERENADE
HOW DEEP IS THE OCEAN?

From "Good News of 1938." Judy became a regular in the Good News series. "Gods Country" would reappear as a big production number a year later in Judy's first musical with Mickey Rooney: Babes In Arms (1939). "How Deep Is The Ocean" is the earliest known recording of Judy singing this song. She would sing it again (all on radio broadcasts) on 10-08-1945, 06-30-48, and January 1951. 

IT HAD TO BE YOU
FDR JONES

From the NBC Radio "The Pepsodent Show Starring Bob Hope"/ Judy was a regular on the show. This is the only recording I know of Judy singing "It Had To Be You." Judy always had more opportunity via radio and her Decca contract to sing a much wider array of music - being able to stretch a little as a vocalist.

This is her earliest recording of her popular "FDR Jones." Judy would sing it in "Babes On Broadway" quite effectively, and record the song for Decca Records as well. That version can be found on the Rhino CD set "Mickey & Judy/The Judy Garland Mickey Rooney collection (great 4 CD set of their 4 major musicals together) and the GREAT single Rhino CD: Judy Garland In Hollywood. (which I recommend to anyone with even a mild interest is Judy Garland).

SAY SI, SI

Judy makes another of her weekly appearances on the NBC Radio "The Pepsodent Show Starring Bob Hope".

DRUMMER BOY

From the CBS Radio "Lux Radio Theater" adaptation of Judy & Mickey's film Strike Up The Band.

AMERICA (MY COUNTRY 'TIS OF THEE)

From the MGM pre-recording sessions for Life Begins for Andy Hardy (1941).

Judy recorded this song, as well as "Easy To Love", "Abide With Me" and "The Rosary" for her final appearance in the "Andy Hardy" series. None of the songs were used, technically making this her first non-singing role.

"Easy To Love" is on the wonderful Rhino 2-CD set "Judy Garland - Collector's Gems from the M-G-M Films". A must-have for all Garland fans!

THE PEANUT VENDOR
HOW ABOUT YOU?

From the CBS Radio "Lux Radio Theater" production of "Merton Of The Movies", co-starring Mickey Rooney. Judy knocks it out of the park with "The Peanut Vendor" (which she would later sing a snippet of in the "Born In A Trunk" medley in A Star Is Born).

As an encore, Judy and Mickey perform "How About You?" to promote their upcoming film Babes On Broadway. Cecil B. DeMille is the host.

I'LL REMEMBER APRIL

From the CBS Radio "Lux Radio Theater" version of Morning Glory. The 1933 film version won Katherine Hepburn an Oscar in her screen debut. This radio version shows off Judy's dramatic abilities, while also giving her a chance to sing this lovely song.

HOW YA GONNA KEEP 'EM DOWN ON THE FARM?
AFTER YOU'RE GONE

From the CBS Radio "Screen Guild Players" version of For Me And My Gal. Judy sang this song in the film in a sequence where she is seen "performing for the troops." What's interesting to note in that sequence is how, even at this early stage, Judy's rapport with an audience (even if it's a set full of extras) and her legendary stage presence are already apparent.

THIS IS THE ARMY MR. JONES
THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC

From the "The Pause That Refreshes On The Air" CBS Radio show sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company. "That Old Black Magic" has always been one of my favorite Judy songs.

THE MAN I LOVE
EMBRACEABLE YOU

From a "Command Performance" show (#81) with Bing Crosby.

THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT

From "The Bakers of America Sal